Production of halogenated ethers



Patented Mar. 30, 1937 PRODUCTION OF HALOGENA'IED ETHERS Fritz Straus, Berlin, Germany, asslgnor to I. G.

Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellsohait, Frankforton-the-Main, Germany No Drawing. Application April 3, 1935, Serial No. 14,437. In Germany April 10, 1934 1o aralkyl and R for alkyl, aryl or aralkyl and X for halogen can be added on to compounds containing at least one olefinic double bond. It is not necessary to employ the said halides in isolated and pure form, but also mixtures of com pounds capable of reacting like such halides, as for example mixtures of aldehydes with alcohols and hydrogen halides may be employed.

The reaction takes place with formation of halogenated ethers. Thus, for example, chlormethyl methyl ether reacts with'trimethylethylene with formation of. 1-methoxy-2.3-dimethyl- 3-chlorbutane corresponding to the equation:

chlormethyl methyl ether reacts with butadiene with formation of l-methoxy-5chlor-pentene-3 corresponding to the equation:

H2O (OCHs) Cl-i-CI-Iz CH-CHtCHz CHaOCHzCHzCHICH-CI-IzCl I Halides suitable for the present process are for example chlorinethyl methyl ether C H2Cl (OCHa) chlor diethyl ether CH3CHC1(OC2H5), chlormethyl dodecyl ether 'CH2C1(OC12H25), alphachlor-didoceyl ether C11H23CHC1(OC12H25) alphachlorbenzyl methyl ether CsHsCHCl (OCHs) or its 40 derivatives substituted in the nucleus, alphachlorcinnamic ethyl ether CaH5CHZCH-CHC1(OC2H5) v or the corresponding brominated ethers. The

mixtures of aldehydes with alcohols and halogen hydrldes capable of reacting like the above named alpha halogen ethers may likewise be employed.

Such mixtures are for example mixtures of paraformaldehyde with methanol and hydrogen chloride, of acetaldehyde with ethanol and hydrogen chloride, or formaldehyde with dodecyl alcohol and hydrogen chloride, and so on. 4

As compounds having an oleflnic double bond suitable for the process may be mentioned -for example cyclohexene, the homologues of ethyl- ..liquefied butadiene.

ene, 'such as trimethylethylene, and further substances having conjugated double bonds as,'for

example, butadiene and its homologues, such as isoprene, and also 1.2-dihydrobenzene.

The reaction may be effected, if desired, in the presence of solvents, as for example benzene, and acetylenetetrachloride.

The speed of the reaction depends on the chemical nature of the unsaturated compound and the chloride employed. The reaction may be accelerated by adding catalysts, of which anhydrous metal halides,'such as mercury chloride and zinc chloride, may be mentioned.

The reaction products thus obtained are suitable as solvents or may be employed as intermediates in the production of dyestuffs.

The following examples will further illustrate how my present invention may be carried out in practice, but the invention is not restricted to theseexamples. The parts are by weight if not indicated otherwise. 7

Example 1 Q 16 parts of liquefied butadiene are caused -to react with 52 parts of alpha-chlorbenzyl methyl ether, obtainable as described in Liebigs Annalen A. D. 1932, volume 493, page 203, in a pressuretight vessel after adding as catalyst from about 0.3 to 0.? part of mercuric chloride. The mixture is kept at room temperature for two days, after which time the reaction is practically finished. I l

The crude reaction product is shaken with an aqueous solution of sodium chloride and isolated therefrom by extracting with ether in the usual manner.

The l-phenyl-l-methoxy-5-chlor-pentene-3 or the formula 3 CBHEiCH (OCHa) CH2- CH 2 CH-CHaCl Example 2 3 to 4 parts of mercuric chloride are added in a pressure-tight vessel to a mixture of 27. parts of chlor-methyl methyl ether with 10.5 parts of -When the mixture is warmed to roomtemperature, reaction takes place-with evolution of heat, which is taken of! by cooling with water. Thus the temperature is kept at about 30 C. for 24 hours.

The reaction product obtained in a yield of 60 to 70 per cent is 1-methoxy-5-chlor-pentene-3 of 5 the formula CHaOCI-Ia-CHzCHiCH-CHaCl it can be isolated as described in Example 1.

When purified by distillation it is an easily mobile liquid having a strong radish-like odor. It

boils at 118 C. at normal pressure and has the specific gravity 15 dTZ 1.0022

Example 3 CcHs-CH- (OCH3) -CH2-CH 2 CH-CHzBr it is isolated with a yield of 30 per cent in the manner describedin Example 1, and it boils at 92 C. at a pressure of 0.05 millimeter mercury gauge.

Example 4 27 parts 01' cyclohexene', 45 parts of alphachlorbenzyl methylether and 14 parts of mercuric 40 chloride are mixed and stirred for 32 hours, no moisture being present.' The mixture gradually darkens. The reaction proceeds substantially more slowly than the reaction of alpha-methoxybenzylchloride and butadiene described in Example 1.

The unchanged cyclohexene is distilled oil under reduced pressure. The reaction product is purified as described in Example 1 and dissolved in acetone and oxidized with potassium permanganate untfl permanganate is no longer discoloured. I

1-methoxybenzyl-2-chlor cyclohexane of the formula can O\ /H: on,

is thus obtained as a colorless liquid boiling. at 94.5 C. at a pressure of 0.01 millimeter mercury gauge. Example 5 Molecular proportions of 1.2-dihydro-benzene and alpha-methoxy-benzylchloride are mixed in the presence of some centigrams' of mercuric chloride. The reaction takes place at room temperature with evolution of heat, which is taken off by cooling with water.

The reaction product is a-methoxy-benzyl-, chlor-cyclohexene the structural formula 0! which is unknown.. It boils at 112 C. at a pres- The reactionsure of 0.05 millimeter mercury gauge, the specific gravity being The yield is almost quantitative.

I! no catalyst is added the speed of the reaction is largely reduced and only 40 to 50 per cent of the mixture are reacted within 2 days.

' If molecular proportions of chlormethyl methyl ether and 1,2-dihydrobenzene are reacted in the presence of some grams of mercuric chloride,

with the evolution of heat. The said product bolls at 81C. at a pressureof 10 millimeters mercury gauge and has the following specific gravity Example 6 30 cubic centimeters of liquefied butadiene are shaken for 3 days with a solution of 40 grams 01' methoxy methyl chlor cyclohexene is formed benzaldehyde in cubic centimeters of a 25 per cent solution of hydrogen chloride in methanol, 2 grams of mercuric chloride being added. The formerly colorless layer of the hydrocarbon is substantially increased and colored brown.

Unchanged butadiene is removed, the mixture washed with aqueous solutions of sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide and the reaction prod-' uct 1-phenyl--1 -methoxy 5 chlor pentene 3,

which is identical with the product described in Example 1 is purified by distillation.

Example 7 20 grams of dihydrobensene are shaken for three days with a solution of 50 grams of benz aldehyde in 75 cubic centimeters of a 25 per cent solution of hydrogen chloride in methanol 2 grams of chloride being present. The reactionmixture forming two layers after short time is washed with aqueous solutions 01' sodium chloride hydes, alcohols and hydrogen halides capable oi reacting like halides oi the general formula:

in which R. stands fora substituent oi the group consisting or hydrogen. alkyl, aralbl or aryl, R for a substituent of the group consisting oi albl,

' aralkyl, or aryl and x ior'halogenwith compounds containing at least one olefinic double bond.

2. In the production 01' hal ethers the step which comprises reacting mixtures of aldehydes, alcohols and hydrogen halides capable of reacting like halides oi the general iormula:

in which a stands m a substituent or the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, araikyl or aryl, R

for a substituent of the group consisting oi' alkyl,

. 9,075,812 containing at least oneolefinic double bond in the presence of a catalyst.

3. In the production of halogenated ethers the step which comprises reacting mixtures of alde- 5 hydes, alcohols and hydrogen halides capable of reacting like halides of the general formula:

in which R stands for a substituent of the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aralkyl or aryl, R

for a substituent of the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl or aryl and X for halogen with compounds containing at least one oleiinic double bond in the presence of a catalyst and of solvents.

4. In the production of halogenated ethers the step which comprises reacting mixtures of aldehydes, alcohols and hydrogen halides capable of 20 reacting like halides of the general formula:

" in which R stands for a substituent o! the group in which It stands for a substituent of the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aralkyl or aryl; R fora substituent of the group consisting of alkyl,

, aralkyl or aryl and X for halogen with butadiene.

6. The process for the production of halogenated ethers which comprises reacting a mixture of benzaldehyde, methanol and hydrogen chloride with butadiene.

'7. In the production of halogenated ethers the step which comprises reacting mixtures of aldehydes, alcohols and hydrogen halides capable of reacting like halides of the general formula:

in which R stands for a substituent of the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aralkyl or aryl, R for a substituent of the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl or aryl and X for halogen with trimethylethylene.

8. In the production of halogenated ethers the step which comprises reacting mixtures of aldehydes, alcohols and hydrogen halides capable'of reacting like halides of the general formula:

n on

in which It stands for a substituent of the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aralkyl or aryl, R for a substituent of the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl or aryl and X for halogen with cyclohexene. i

FRITZ STRAUS. 

